I visited a hospital and my Thai partner was very upset because the doctor overcharged me on the doctors fee and then they over charged me on the cost of medicine. Almost everywhere you go in Thailand, as a farang, you will be over charged. Even a doctor, someone you would expect to have some class, disappoints.

I don't think you can respect someone and cheat them at the same time. I am sure some of you will claim otherwise, but I think you are just deluding yourselves.

So the big question is why is it like that here?

I agree its a constant annoyance. What can we do? Shop around as best we can. Also some acceptance, or we only hurt ourselves because it can drive you crazy.

Edited September 14, 200916 yr by Jingthing

Let's not stereotype. The Thais that cheat foreigners also cheat other Thais.

Its avoidable, sure. But one does wish to feel like they are respected in the place where they live.

Let's not stereotype. The Thais that cheat foreigners also cheat other Thais.

That's not true. There are plenty of Thais who will only try to cheat farang.

^plenty of farangs who cheat thai(s) least we forget.

You ever ask someone how much something is, then see him look off into the distance briefly with those dollar signs in his eyes? I always walk away before he opens his mouth again... I can see it in someone's eye when they are screwing me. LoL

For something like a hospital though... they should have a pricelist. Ask before you're treated unless you're on your death bed. And don't accept the medication if they're going to overcharge you.

Is it possible, though, that Thais are supplemented by the government at this particular hospital? Meaning maybe you weren't overcharged, but Thais pay less.

On the flip side, I get free motor cycle taxis around my area, and the local 7-11 gives me a small discount every time I go there. I get a good discount at one gym where I train and free training at another. The restaurant downstairs gives me good sized servings of food now instead of the normal small thai size. I've been here 8 months and lived in the same soi the whole time.

Sure I get overcharged for some things as well, but it seems to balance itself out.

Edited September 14, 200916 yr by akirasan

When I travelled on a bus from Chonburi to Pattaya three years ago, there was a grumpy old Thai woman who was possibly the owner and/or in charge on the bus. She wanted the male conductor to overcharge me, to which he replied "Aren't farang people (-->khon) too?" She answered: Farang mai khon. (Farang are no people.)

Edited September 14, 200916 yr by 7

Sadly, some Thai people judge all farang based on the behaviour of the worst of us - and a lot of dregs end up in Thailand.

When I travelled on a bus from Chonburi to Pattaya three years ago, there was a grumpy old Thai woman who was possibly the owner and/or in charge on the bus. She wanted the male conductor to overcharge me, to which he replied "Aren't farang people (-->khon) too?" She answered: Farang mai khon. (Farang are no people.)

Wow, that's really harsh! I've never heard someone speak like that about me, though I wouldn't doubt that there's bitter people or racists here too.

Edited September 14, 200916 yr by dttk0009

It's very annoying but it happens. The only way around it is to move back home. Even then,what mechanic or joiner etc... hasn't had

your eyes out before?

The bus story would have pissed me off.

Issan life has been ok so far.

In my 5 years living here, I have not seen much of this. I am rarely overcharged, compared to a Thai. If there are big ticket items involved, it is best to stay out of sight and let your Thai partner do the talking.

Let's not stereotype. The Thais that cheat foreigners also cheat other Thais.

Yes, I completely agree. Lets not start stereo-typing otherwise this topic will be closed.

......................

Some Thai's will over-charge foreigners, they will over charge Thais as well, if the opportunity presents itself to make a quick profit.

Some Thai's will run down the street to give you mony that you dropped as well.

Just as in any other country on Earth.

I visited a hospital and my Thai partner was very upset because the doctor overcharged me on the doctors fee and then they over charged me on the cost of medicine. Almost everywhere you go in Thailand, as a farang, you will be over charged. Even a doctor, someone you would expect to have some class, disappoints.

I don't think you can respect someone and cheat them at the same time. I am sure some of you will claim otherwise, but I think you are just deluding yourselves.

So the big question is why is it like that here?

"So the big question is why is it like that here?"

Because we pretty much put up with it, keep our traps shut and accept it! And for the few of us who get fed up and speak out we get slapped in the face by other farang who claim that we don't understand Thai culture. Then we also have to accept that to protest our displeasure will cause the THAI to lose face and that will be worse than having to pay the falang price. And then again, we really have no choice because we are basically just guests here with no real power.

I visited a hospital and my Thai partner was very upset because the doctor overcharged me on the doctors fee and then they over charged me on the cost of medicine. Almost everywhere you go in Thailand, as a farang, you will be over charged. Even a doctor, someone you would expect to have some class, disappoints.

I don't think you can respect someone and cheat them at the same time. I am sure some of you will claim otherwise, but I think you are just deluding yourselves.

So the big question is why is it like that here?

"So the big question is why is it like that here?"

Because we pretty much put up with it, keep our traps shut and accept it! And for the few of us who get fed up and speak out we get slapped in the face by other farang who claim that we don't understand Thai culture. Then we also have to accept that to protest our displeasure will cause the THAI to lose face and that will be worse than having to pay the falang price. And then again, we really have no choice because we are basically just guests here with no real power.

"We are just guests here". Absolutely 100% correct. To think in any other way will only give you a headache.

At least they don't treat us like migrants. Anyone here care for a tour of Thailand's most notorious concentration camps, oops I mean refugee camps?

Let's not stereotype. The Thais that cheat foreigners also cheat other Thais.

Some Thai's will run down the street to give you mony that you dropped as well.

This actually happened to me just the other week in a 7/11. Accidentally dropped a 500 baht note and a Thai lady rushed after me to hand it back.

Some Thai's will over-charge foreigners, they will over charge Thais as well, if the opportunity presents itself to make a quick profit.

If I walk into a hundred different places of business and a Thai walks into the same one hundred places, I might get over charged in 50 of them and he might get overcharged in 3. I don't see the relevance of this defense.

It is quite clear to me that it is culturally acceptable in Thailand to cheat/over charge farang, but not acceptable to cheat/over charge Thais.

Edited September 14, 200916 yr by DonJuanDemarco

"We are just guests here". Absolutely 100% correct. To think in any other way will only give you a headache.

Don't be a fool. Guests do not pay. We are customers here, paying for our existence.

I think the poster above might be onto something about the cowardly nature of farang in Thailand. Have some self respect for yourselves. This reminds me of another point, those farang who pay three times the going rate for sin sod 'cause its Thai culture'... Jeez...

Some Thai's will over-charge foreigners, they will over charge Thais as well, if the opportunity presents itself to make a quick profit.

If I walk into a hundred different places of business and a Thai walks into the same one hundred places, I might get over charged in 50 of them and he might get overcharged in 3. I don't see the relevance of this defense.

It is quite clear to me that it is culturally acceptable in Thailand to cheat/over charge farang, but not acceptable to cheat/over charge Thais.

Very often (not always) the reason can be because the Thai customer is aware of what it is suppose to cost, and is as willing as the other part to make a good bargain.

Many locals have experienced that if they over charge a foreigner, sometimes the foreigner gets upset, and even use bad words, but still pays up.

A Thai customer would not even consider doing business if he/she knew there was a possibility he/she could be cheated.

Same with us, but we dont always know where and when the possibilty to be cheated is there.

Cheating (within reasonble limits) and barganing, have been part of business for quite some time.

I have heard, and read several times where customers got cheated, and had to pay too much for an item, but the shop owner ran after him with the wallet he forgot.

The shop owner felt he did good business making the foreigner pay too much, but he didnt want to be a thief by stealing his wallet.

Might not make sense where we come from, but it does some places.

I visited a hospital and my Thai partner was very upset because the doctor overcharged me on the doctors fee and then they over charged me on the cost of medicine. Almost everywhere you go in Thailand, as a farang, you will be over charged. Even a doctor, someone you would expect to have some class, disappoints.

I don't think you can respect someone and cheat them at the same time. I am sure some of you will claim otherwise, but I think you are just deluding yourselves.

So the big question is why is it like that here?

"So the big question is why is it like that here?"

Because we pretty much put up with it, keep our traps shut and accept it! And for the few of us who get fed up and speak out we get slapped in the face by other farang who claim that we don't understand Thai culture. Then we also have to accept that to protest our displeasure will cause the THAI to lose face and that will be worse than having to pay the falang price. And then again, we really have no choice because we are basically just guests here with no real power.

Agree with what you are saying here.

To add an opinion of my own..with regards Thais "lose face". I think this is an enormous character weakness they have born out of stupidity in many cases. Basically not getting their own way. (flame if you want to)

I understand that 7/11 and Family Mart are unpopular here with many Thais. Well, perhaps if some of the local people that overcharge (i know not all of them do) stopped this practice, i would happily use them and not go elsewhere to be charged the same as a Thai.

That said, i am lucky enough to live around some of the nicest Thai people you could wish to meet. The concept of overcharging foreigners is alien to them.

The sad thing for me is thefailure to understand that overcharging is nothing more than dishonest and yet widely accepted, which in turn demonstrates a very shabby image to me.

I don't like it but i do like living in the country so i guess its an unfortunate part of the "deal!'

"We are just guests here". Absolutely 100% correct. To think in any other way will only give you a headache.

Don't be a fool. Guests do not pay. We are customers here, paying for our existence.

I think the poster above might be onto something about the cowardly nature of farang in Thailand. Have some self respect for yourselves. This reminds me of another point, those farang who pay three times the going rate for sin sod 'cause its Thai culture'... Jeez...

Ok customers then.

On the other point, many Thais are over charged for sin sot too you know?

Whenever I want to buy something that I have seen, I walk away and let my wife do the business. If she isn't around then I always ask the price and haggle with them, starting at 50% of their asking price. I usually end up getting a better deal than my wife can get for me. At the end of our business both the seller and myself usually have a friendly smile for each other...

I visited a hospital and my Thai partner was very upset because the doctor overcharged me on the doctors fee and then they over charged me on the cost of medicine. Almost everywhere you go in Thailand, as a farang, you will be over charged. Even a doctor, someone you would expect to have some class, disappoints.

I don't think you can respect someone and cheat them at the same time. I am sure some of you will claim otherwise, but I think you are just deluding yourselves.

So the big question is why is it like that here?

"So the big question is why is it like that here?"

Because we pretty much put up with it, keep our traps shut and accept it! And for the few of us who get fed up and speak out we get slapped in the face by other farang who claim that we don't understand Thai culture. Then we also have to accept that to protest our displeasure will cause the THAI to lose face and that will be worse than having to pay the falang price. And then again, we really have no choice because we are basically just guests here with no real power.

(ironic nic considering your post!    )

I personally hate the double pricing, but I can either accept it with grace, choose not to purchase whatever it was I was contemplating,  or go back to my home country.  At some point, you have to make a conscious decision in whether the pros outweigh the cons of living here, and then if you choose to stay, just accept the bad things.  Once you do that, your stress level will go way down and you will live a happier life.

"We are just guests here". Absolutely 100% correct. To think in any other way will only give you a headache.

Don't be a fool. Guests do not pay. We are customers here, paying for our existence.

I think the poster above might be onto something about the cowardly nature of farang in Thailand. Have some self respect for yourselves. This reminds me of another point, those farang who pay three times the going rate for sin sod 'cause its Thai culture'... Jeez...

Well put! I'd like to think of myself as a customer, but sometimes I just feel like an overcharged paying squatter whose existence is tolerated only under the condition that my wallet is refilled endlessly with notes.

Edited September 14, 200916 yr by EffectiveAnger

To me, double pricing is just the unfettered free market at work. You are free to not pay. What more do you people want?

TH

To me, double pricing is just the unfettered free market at work. You are free to not pay. What more do you people want?

TH

Correct.

And as they sometimes say here....up to you.

To me, double pricing is just the unfettered free market at work. You are free to not pay. What more do you people want?

TH

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Sometimes you are a captive customer with little choice such as if you go to a hospital for critical care, the deed is done, you are stuck paying whatever they say you must pay, unless you choose to fight them.

Some of you people are really f'ing cheap. LoL Makes me wonder how many of you drop 10 baht once a month in some little child's cup on the footbridge and think you just saved his life.